If you haven't heard of the Double Down burger then you've probably spent the past week or two hiding under a rock. You may have even tried one. In fact, if you're a member of the male student population, you've probably eaten several.
I do not like the taste of chicken meat, and perhaps this bias renders me an incompetent judge of its flavour, but I did have a small bite of one. And I was unimpressed - which is why the perpetual line outside KFC confuses me. Such is the power of media hype and word of mouth, because this burger is no taste sensation. And then, I suppose, there's the novelty of bunlessness.
The main discussions on this burger circulating in the papers, on television and on the proverbial street revolve around two moot points. Firstly, that the burger is too unhealthy.
Secondly, that the burger is no worse than other burgers on the market, thus it's unfair to deem it as scandalously unhealthy.
The first argument is obviously true. The burger is 540 calories and, because it is only palm-sized, it is not large enough for a meal and yet it contains a whole day's worth of saturated fat. KFC promotes the burger as a treat - we all know we shouldn't eat such food every day.
It is interesting that many people think that eating the Double Down is justified because there are unhealthier burgers available. But this is like saying I don't need to pass my exams because some other people are failing theirs. An increasingly unhealthy fast food menu is indeed a slippery slope, but shouldn't be used as justification for poor eating habits. Students, however, often use their situation to justify just such habits.
The phenomenon "Fresher Five" is certainly no secret: most students come to Otago with the knowledge that within the year they will gain 5kg.
The food served in halls of residence is usually blamed, though perhaps unfairly as it is only one of many changes in the lifestyle of a first-year student.
If we look past this scapegoat, excessive drinking, lack of exercise and the number of health sci. students who spend their day stuck to their desk chair all combine to form a weighty excuse for becoming, well, fat.
Is this a problem? Obviously, it is, but perhaps not as much of one as many people think.
Generalisations on student health are often not made with consideration of lifestyle beyond first year. I'm quite sure that weight is generally lost in subsequent years, but whether because of healthier food or simply less food, I'm not sure.
When lunch isn't presented at 12pm each day, buffet style, it loses its status as an important part of the day. Lunch just isn't such a big deal when it consists of crackers with relish and cheese. Every day.
Perhaps I could put in a bit more effort. Sometimes I do - and I make a toasted sandwich.
But I'm neither a chef nor a millionaire, and I can always think of other things I'd rather spend time or money on than my lunch.
So can most students, and that's why convenience food fads like this new burger pose such a problem if they are not approached with the right attitude. It must be conveyed that these meals are not an easy solution at lunch time. They are an occasional treat. As long as students realise this (and make the effort to exercise for at least two hours afterwards) the Double Down doesn't have to be such a bad guy.
But did you know that for the price of a Double Down, you can buy a cyclamen? Or a gerbera? I'd much rather flowers in my bedroom than a burger in my tummy, any day.
- Katie Kenny studies English at the University of Otago.
